No consensus has been reached regarding the best occlusal scheme for making complete dentures. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to compare bilateral balanced occlusion (BBO) with other occlusal schemes (canine guidance, lingualised occlusion and zero degree) in complete dentures. The schemes were compared in terms of quality of life/satisfaction and masticatory performance. Two independent reviewers performed a comprehensive search of studies published in or before October 2017 using the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases. The search was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The focused question was: "In conventional complete denture, is BBO better than lingualised occlusion, canine guidance and zero degree in terms of quality of life, patient satisfaction and masticatory performance/muscle activity?" Seventeen studies were selected for analysis. In total, there were 492 patients with a mean age of 64.78 years and a mean follow-up duration of 2.96 months (range: 1-6 months). All studies compared BBO with the other occlusal schemes. Eleven studies evaluated the influence of the occlusal scheme designs on quality of life and satisfaction, and 8 studies evaluated masticatory performance and muscle activity between BBO and the other occlusion schemes. The present systematic review indicated that BBO does not confer better quality of life/satisfaction or masticatory performance and muscle activity. Thus, lingualised occlusion can be considered a predictable occlusal scheme for complete dentures in terms of quality of life/satisfaction and masticatory performance, while canine guidance can be used to reduce muscular activity.
Your dentist or prosthodontist will instruct you as to how long to wear dentures and when to remove them. During the first several days after receiving your denture, you may be asked to wear it all the time, including while you sleep. Although this may be temporarily uncomfortable, it is the quickest way to identify the areas on the denture that may need adjustment. Once adjustments are made, you should remove dentures before going to bed. This allows gum tissues to rest and allows normal stimulation and cleansing by the tongue and saliva. The denture can be put back in the mouth in the morning.
Partial dentures take up more space in the mouth than your normal teeth. Because of this, there is an adjustment period of time where you may notice difficulty in pronouncing certain words or talking in general. As dentures get re-adjusted and re-fitted, you may notice a difference in pronunciation and will have to make minor speech adjustments again.
Premium heat cured dentures can cost $2,000-$4,000 per denture, or $4,000-$8,000 or more for a set. Dentures in this price range are usually completely customized and personalized, use high-end materials to simulate the lifelike look of gums and teeth as closely as possible, last a long time and are warranted against chipping and cracking for 5–10 years or longer. Often the price includes several follow-up visits to fine-tune the fit.
Olalekan Okunuga, DDS, FICOI, FAAIP, is a general dentist and the practice owner of this South Hill location. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at University of Pacific in San Francisco and completed his post-graduate residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Based on many years of valuable dental experience, Dr. Okunuga and his staff are proud to offer professional, compassionate care to patients that visit this practice.
FRANKLIN, INDIANA -- On June 19 and 20, 2013, I visited Affordable Dentures, Franklin, Indiana, to receive same-day partials. From the clinic published offerings, I selected what is termed "The Premium Package," at a cost of $1780. The Package consists of a set of full or partial dentures, with the promise of being allowed to return at any time during the first year of wear for repair and adjustments. A final set is then placed in the patient's mouth. The words "at any time" echo throughout the clinic as the patients are being fitted for teeth, and again, as they leave: "You may come back any time you need to." That promise turns out to be a lie, particularly for purchasers of The Package.
Bridges: A bridge replaces missing teeth by placing crowns on the teeth next to the space and attaching a fake tooth to both of the crowns. Bridges are made from gold, porcelain fused to gold, all porcelain, or zirconium. Bridges can only replace about two to three missing teeth in a row, depending on the location. Since bridges are cemented in place, they are considered a "fixed, or permanent denture."
